50th Anniversary of the Beatles in Pittsburgh Concert Set for Benedum Center, 9/13

Fifty years ago, the Beatles came to America.... and made their only Pittsburgh appearance at the Civic Arena on September 14, 1964. Legendary concert promoter Pat DiCesare, who brought the band to Pittsburgh for its historic performance, will reprise his role by hosting a series of events, including a tribute concert featuring Beatlemania Now, on September 13th at 8pm, at the Benedum Center.

This event is presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in collaboration with Pat DiCesare Productions, LLC. Tickets start at $36.95 and are available at www.TrustArts.org, by calling 412-456-6666, or in person at Theater Square Box Office, 655 Penn Avenue.

"The impact of the Beatles cannot be overstated," said DiCesare. "The Fab Four startled the ears and energized the lives of virtually all who heard them. Their arrival triggered the musical revolution of the sixties, introducing a modern sound and viewpoint that parted ways with the world of the previous decade."

The American Tour '64, the name of DiCesare's tribute concert featuring Beatlemania Now, will feature all the classic Beatle's hits live with a full stage, light and multimedia show. "Imagine it is Saturday night, September 14, 1964 and you are part of an audience of more than 12,000, watching four mop-topped kids from Liverpool, England perform live on the stage of the Civic Arena," said DiCesare. "Imagine further that you are able to fast-forward the rest of the 1960's, with all of its turbulent history, while the Beatles mature from bubblegum tunes like 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' and 'She Loves You' into a band that reflects the social consciousness of the decade with 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' 'Abbey Road' and 'Let It Be.'"

That, said DiCesare, is Beatlemania Now, a show starring Scot Arch (as John Lennon), Chris Colon (as George Harrison), Eric Smith (as Ringo Starr), and J*DaveyJustice (as Paul McCartney), with a performance that dusts off the cobwebs to recall teens screaming from the balcony of the Civic Arena and other theaters across the United States.

"The Beatles explosion onto the American musical landscape is one of the most spectacular events in music history," said DiCesare. "And through the magic that is Beatlemania Now, the audience can become a part of that history 50 years later."

The show begins with the memorable youthful exuberance and scrubbed clean faces of the young Beatles as the band sings the original hits without a care in the world while-as if from an old copy of Life Magazine-scenes from the 1960's are projected on a screen above the stage. Beatlemania Now brings historic scenes to life and just like the original musicians; the stage band matures from the teen heart throbs of 1964 into the most important band of the 20th Century.